The present invention relates generally to a vehicular lamp, more particularly to a light emitting diode vehicular lamp, and even more particularly, to a light emitting diode vehicular lamp that uses a single high-flux light emitting diode as a light source to satisfy the requirements, including photometric requirements, of a combination stop/tail/turn/marker vehicle light.
The Department of Transportation (DOT), in its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 49 C.F.R. xc2xa7571.108 (2000), (xe2x80x9cFMVSS 108xe2x80x9d) has adopted certain versions of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards for stop/tail/turn/marker vehicular lamps. DOT Standard 592e (part of FMVSS 108) and SAE Standard J592e provides test procedures, requirements and guidelines for clearance, side marker, and identification lamps.
DOT Standard 585 (part of FMVSS 108) and SAE Standard J585 define a tail lamp as a lamp used to designate the rear of a vehicle by a steady burning low intensity light. These standards also provide that a tail lamp is a lamp installed on the rear of a vehicle and spaced as far apart laterally as practicable so that the signal will be clearly visible and its intent clearly understood.
DOT Standard 1395 (part of FMVSS 108) and SAE Standard J1395 define a turn signal lamp as a lamp that indicates a change in direction by giving a flashing light on the side toward which the turn or lane change will be made. These standards also provide that a turn signal lamp is a lamp, facing rearward for the rear lamp and facing forward for the front lamp, mounted on the permanent structure of the vehicle, at the same height and spaced as far apart laterally as practicable so that the signal will be clearly visible.
DOT Standard 1398 (part of FMVSS 108) and SAE Standard J1398 define a stop lamp as a lamp giving a steady light to the rear of a vehicle to indicate the intention of the operator of the vehicle to stop or diminish speed by braking. These standards further provide that stop lamps shall be mounted on the permanent structure of the vehicle, facing rearward, at the same height and spaced as far apart laterally as practicable, so that the signal will be clearly visible.
DOT and SAE standards also specify certain requirements, such as photometric requirements, for vehicular lamps functioning as stop, tail, turn and/or marker lamps, including luminous intensity requirements. According to the aforementioned standards, sufficient luminous intensity must exist at various points in the illumination zone. The specific photometric requirements of the most recent versions of the SAE Standards (i.e., J585 (March 2000), J1395 (June 1991), J1398 (June 1991), J592 (December 1994)) are set forth hereinbelow for stop/tail/turn/marker vehicular lamps.
It should be noted however, that the corresponding SAE Standards that form part of FMVSS 108, 49 C.F.R. xc2xa7571.108 (2000) may be earlier versions of J585, J1395, J1398, and J592e. The photometric requirements of these earlier versions are not set forth herein, However, SAE Standards J585, J1395, J1398, and J592e in their entirety, can be found at the Society of Automotive Engineers website. FMVSS 108, 49 C.F.R. xc2xa7571.108 (2000) can be found at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.